Welcome Others: The Responsibility of Sons and Daughters

We all have positions that we hold. In fact, most, if not all of us, are managing multiple positions, sometimes at the same time. You may have a position at work as a boss or employee, or both. You may have a position at home as a parent. If you serve at a church, you may hold a position as a volunteer. These positions are important because with them comes responsibility, and impacts the people around you. 

Sometimes, though, the positions we hold can wear us out and they can begin to feel like a burden. We can quickly forget the importance of our position at work, at home, or even as a volunteer. This is why we can never value our position over our purpose. Undergirding every position is a purpose. The purpose is the mission of the place you work, your family or the place you serve. The position you hold simply helps the organization or family achieve its mission. 

For instance, I work at Cross Point and we have a Guest Experience team. If you choose to serve on that team you will be given a position. You may welcome people in the parking lot, hold doors for people entering the building, check in first time guests or help people find their seat. Each of these are important positions, but they are all an expression of Cross Point’s mission of helping people find and follow Jesus. Treating every person who comes to our campus with value and dignity not only affirms the image of God that they each possess, it gives each member of the Guest Experience team an opportunity to tangibly live out the message we celebrate each Sunday. Suddenly, we are not just holding umbrellas for a busy mom on a rainy Sunday. We are caring for image bearers of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Everyone is being treated as royalty, because… well, they are. 

Remembering the purpose over the position is also really important when things go wrong. Let’s be honest. Things rarely go as planned, but when the plan changes all we have to do is remind ourselves of our purpose we are living out. The position may need to adapt to the new circumstance to achieve the ultimate purpose. For instance, we don’t actually have an umbrella team, but we know that when the rain comes, we adapt the Guest Experience positions in order to be able to treat every guest like royalty. 

So, if you find yourself zoning out at work, remind yourself of the impact you make by helping the organization achieve the mission. If you find yourself not sure what to do in the next phase of parenting, pause for a moment to remind yourself of the future adult you are doing your best to raise. The next time you hold the door open for someone at church, remind yourself that you are not just opening a door, but you are honoring a person who bears the image of God. You are embodying the gospel of Jesus with a simple act of hospitality. 

Remember to always value purpose over position. In doing so, you will find yourself making a much larger impact than completing a job. You will be on a mission with a greater purpose.